Thousand Points of Light actuators (TPL) in partial array: This model shows the input end of the 2 axis fiber positioner which is able to position an optical fiber anywhere in a hexagonal area 1.92 cm across the flats. The motion is driven by two 8mm diameter stepper-gearmotors, one of which rotates the fiber about the actuator axis, the other translating it radially. The array consists of 1000 identical devices which can provide contiguous coverage over a 60 cm diameter area at the image plane of the SDSS-2.5M wide field telescope at Apache Point, NM. See the TPL section for more information.
